Bottled by J&W Nicholson of Clerkenwell, London, back in the 1970s. Base stock is unknown - it might be from Caroni, yet somehow I doubt that - it lacks something of the tarry background. No information is available on age or blend of ages. Bottled at 42.8%.
J&W Nicholson was a gin maker which opened its doors in the 1730s. They ceased UK gin production in 1941 (wartime rationing made it impractical) and sold their facility there in 1966, eventually selling the remaining business to the Distillers Company Ltd in the 1970s...at first I thought this rum seems to be an effort to diversify production as a consequence of the economic hardship which forced the sale, but further reading shows the company had been issuing rums for more than a century before. Distillers Company sold out to Guinness in 1986, and the DCL brand was in turn consolidated by Diageo in 1997.
Colour - dark brown

Palate: Medium heavy, still warm and a little sharp, not unpleasantly so. Creamy and also a little musty, like a room left unaired for too long. Coconut shavings, caramel, brown sugar predominate. With water, coconut recedes, and smoke and dry leather come forward, along with cloves and a bit of cinnamon. That salted butter and musky background never entirely disappears. Odd mix of tastes, all in all. No tar and asphalt notes make themselves known, supporting my contention this was unlikely to be a Caroni.

Finish: Short and smooth, heated....some crushed walnuts and toffee there, with a last flirt of mustiness and smoke.

Thoughts: Nothing special. At best it's a five-to-eight year old. It's not really complex or world beating, and not a sipper's dream by any stretch. The nose is the oddest thing about it since it seems to stand quite separate from the way it tastes when you drink it. But overall, a decent enough rum, quite pleasant. I liked the history of the company almost more than the rum.

Nicholson Trinidad (42.8%, J&W Nicholson London, +/-1970) When I write 42.8%, that’s rather 42.8 GL, so Gay-Lussac, so almost 43% vol. Let’s see if this old merchant’s Trinidadian could be a Caroni…
Colour: amber.

Nose: Ah yes, these very typical and topical grassy and phenolic notes are well there at first nosing, but we’re rather around bicycle inner tube and almond milk than plain engine oil and olives. Plus cardboard and sawn wood. The fact is that that was just a flash, as the whole becomes much lighter after just three seconds. Lighter, but still lively and much to my liking, like a great old dry white Bordeaux.

Bottled by J & W Nicholson & Company in London. A then-known gin manufacturer. Sir Richard Nicholson sold in the 70's the company to the Distillers Company Limited. This bottling could be from the 70s or 60s of the last century. DCL was purchased in 1986 by Guiness and was becoming part of the present group of Diageo. The bad boy in the spirit scene.
Colour: Bright amber.

Nose: Strong vanilla intertwined with caramel and very weak coconut flavors dominate the nose. The rum smells slightly sweet. In the background, however, are even more flavours. There are herbs and oak from the barrel. The fruit is rather weak. The rum reminds me of a caramel-toffee bonbon which was flavoured with herbs, but without its typical sweetness. The Rum smells faintly like Caroni. But only just a minor part of it. A slightly flowery smell is in the air after quite some time in the glass.

Palate: The rum tastes slightly earthy with added minerals and herbs. Then caramel, cream and vanilla emerge. It tastes slightly vegetal. This is a light column rum.E ven some slightly floral aromas are tasteable. Again, the rum is only slightly sweet. The alcohol burns only gentle on the tongue. Oak and toffee from the barrel are on the palate now more present. After the 2nd sip I also now taste leather, spices and cloves. Still no fruit. The rum is very very light.

Finish: Herbs, oak and slightly sweet caramel at the beginning. Then the sweetness fades out and the finish is accompanied with herbal flavours. Spices and cloves form the end of the finish.

Thoughts: I might repeat myself but I dare say that this is a light column rum. It may not have been very old. Probably less than 10 years. Maybe even less than 7 years. This filling reminded me strikingly of the Angostura 1824. So it could well be possible that this rum came from the Trinidad Distillers Limited. But I'm not 100% sure about this.